This year’s presidential debate will be inside the Student Center Ballroom on Thursday. | File photo/The Cougar
Six hopeful student body presidents will face off in an annual debate at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Student Center Ballroom.
The debate will be hosted and moderated by The Cougar, in partnership with the Student Government Association Election Commission. The six students running for president of the 55th administration and the parties they represent are:
- Chris Yellowe: Coogsnited
- Christopher Caldwell: Impact Party
- Winni Zhang: Spirit RED
- Vishaal Kuruvanka: Element Red
- Cameron Barrett: Students Unite
- Alexander McCollum: Reform UH
Parking is once again the forefront of issues for party platforms, along with campus safety. Candidates will be asked questions about how their specific plans to tackle these issues along with better serving underrepresented students.
Editors from The Cougar will moderate the debate, which will also offer free pizza for all student attendees.
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Sen. Valerie Campos will be at the debate. She is not running for re-election, choosing instead to focus on her last year of undergraduate studies and secure a job. She hopes candidates show they are committed to the hands-on issues of the University.
“I think there is going to be some interesting dialogue. We have the current President Winni Zhang, who is running for reelection, and we have outsiders who may not have the same experience in SGA but have been influential,” Campos said. “It’s really going to show who has been talking to the students.”
In last year’s debate, House of Innovation’s Jordyn Chaffold won the debate exit poll by wide margins. He ended up losing the election to Zhang, however.
Voting for student government president and senators runs Feb. 27 – March 1. Vote through GetInvolved on AccessUH. The winners for the presidential and senate races will be announced in the days following the elections.
Students who can’t make it to the SC Ballroom can follow along on Twitter by following @TheDailyCougar.
